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Proposed Tough Telecom Law

Minister promises review

Star Business Report
The mobile operators' concerns over the upcoming telecom law subdued yesterday after Telecom Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju assured them of a review of the bill if it has damaging effects on the industry.
The top brasses of the six mobile operators met the minister at his secretariat office yesterday.
The minister asked the operators to submit a proposal to point out the clauses in the telecom bill that need to be changed for the sake of development of the industry.
A top official of a mobile operator quoted the minister as saying, "We will try our best to make an industryfriendly law. If there are any problems, the parliamentary standing committee will review it."
Oddvar Hesjedal, chief executive officer of Grameenphone, Ahmed Abou Dorna, CEO of Banglalink, Michael Kuehnar, CEO of Robi, Chris Tobit, CEO of Warid Telecom, Mehboob Chowdhury, CEO of Citycell and Mujibur Rahman, managing director of state-owned TeleTalk, were present at the meeting.
The bill was placed in parliament on June 13 and later sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the post and telecommunication ministry for further scrutiny.
The caretaker government through an ordinance introduced the tough law for the sector in December 2008. Subsequently, the elected government did not ratify the law in parliament with an objective to make it more industry- friendly in line with the idea of building a digital Bangladesh.
The top officials pointed out that the bill left no room for any appeal against any regulatory decision by
an operator. The draft law allows law enforcers to arrest any telecom industry official without a warrant.
An individual could face imprisonment of up to five years, or a maximum fine ofTk 300 crore, or both, for "activities against national harmony, public security and friendly relations with neighbouring countries" through the use of telecom or radio apparatus, according to the bill.
It also envisages supreme power for the telecom ministry, which could do anything it likes to rein in
Operators of Bangladesh.
"The minister assured us of an industry-friendly law."
The revision of the telecom act has been debated in the industry ever since the present government came into power.
Stakeholders from the telecom and information and communication technology sector repeatedly urged the government to revise the act, so that they can inject more money into the sector to introduce the latest in technology and services